Last-minute ACT tips

Last-minute ACT tips

March is almost over, which means the ACT is quickly approaching. Maybe you’ve invested time in an ACT study course. Or maybe you’re planning to wing it. Either way, these last-minute test-taking tips may help you get the score you’re hoping for and go into the ACT with confidence.

1. Answer every question: There’s no penalty for guessing on the ACT, so make sure you fill in every bubble. An unanswered question and an incorrect answer have the same impact on your score, so it’s better to guess if you’re unsure—there’s a chance you could be right!
2. Get a good night’s sleep before the test: A good night’s sleep can affect your mood and attitude heading into the ACT. Feeling sleepy can affect your ability to focus, so make sure you’ve gotten enough rest in the week leading up to the test, especially the night before.
3. Eat a healthy breakfast: Fuel your mind by eating a healthy breakfast before you take the ACT. You’ll feel energized and alert. Plus, you won’t have to worry about a growling stomach interrupting your concentration later on!
4. Skip difficult questions: Time is of the essence on the ACT. It’s important not to spend too much time on each question, because you want to answer them all. If you need to skip a question, circle it and come back to it later. How much time is too much for each question?
   • English: more than 30 seconds
   • Math: more than 60 seconds
   • Reading: more than 45 seconds
   • Science: more than 45 seconds
5. Eliminate the wrong answers: The best strategy for conquering difficult questions? Process of elimination. Look for reasons why the other answers are incorrect, rather than why they might work. It’ll help save you time going back and forth between two answers that both seem “kind of right.”
6. Stay calm: It seems obvious, but the biggest thing to remember while taking the ACT is to remain calm. Answer questions when you can. Circle back to ones that make you scratch your head. Remember that once you’ve completed a section it’s over and done with. You won’t have to worry about solving complex equations or dissecting reading passages anymore

Want to send your ACT scores to MSUM? Remember our ACT code: 2134.

Good luck!